Huntington Beach Ca Government Officials

Shari Lynn Freidenrich, 36, has been appointed city treasurer to complete the term of Donald L. Watson, who retired. The Huntington Beach resident, a certified public accountant, said she looks forward to the challenges of the job, which she began May 30, and welcomes an opportunity to "give back to the community." "I'm looking forward to being a member of the team here," said Freidenrich, who will oversee a department of 12 and an investment portfolio of about $60 million.

The City Council has appointed Shari Lynn Freidenrich as city treasurer. Freidenrich, 36, was selected from a field of 24 candidates and will be sworn into office on Monday. Mayor Dave Sullivan said there were a number of well-qualified candidates, but that Freidenrich "seemed to have the best combination of managerial and technical ability." Freidenrich takes over the post vacated in October by Donald L. Watson, who retired before his term was to have ended in November.

The City Council this week approved a procedure for choosing an interim city treasurer. Dan Villella, appointed in December to succeed Donald L. Watson, who retired last fill, stepped down from the post March 28 and returned to his former position as the city's finance director. Voters on March 26 rejected a ballot measure that would have change the elected office to an appointive one, so a treasurer will be elected in November. Until then, someone will be appointed.

City leaders will trek to Washington next week to lobby federal officials for almost $1 million to study how the city's infrastructure would fare in an earthquake. Federal legislation adopted in 1990 as part of a water bill gave authorization to pay for studies on Southern California cities' needs for earthquake retrofitting to water-related infrastructure, such as sewer, storm drain and water systems. The city will seek $900,000 to evaluate the infrastructure and plan improvements.

The city's finance director will fill in as the city treasurer at least until March, when voters decide whether the office should be appointive or remain elective. Dan Villella will take on the responsibilities Dec. 29, replacing Don Watson, who recently retired. Robert Franz, deputy city administrator of the Administrative Services Department, will serve as acting finance director.

Victor Leipzig, who earlier this month completed a one-year term as mayor of Huntington Beach, presided over a time of tumult. When Orange County filed for bankruptcy protection during Leipzig's first week leading the City Council, about $43 million of Huntington Beach's money was frozen in the county's collapsed investment pool. Leipzig, elected to the council in 1992, spoke with Times correspondent Debra Cano about the financial crisis and other events during his year as mayor.

After eight years in office, City Treasurer Donald L. Watson will retire from the post Tuesday. His retirement comes as the City Council prepares to let voters decide in March whether to make the treasurer's position elected or appointed. Watson, 66, spent 34 years working in the private sector before he was appointed to the post in 1987. He was elected by voters in 1988 and reelected in 1992, with the term set to end in November, 1996.

Bearing gifts and goodwill from Surf City, Mayor Victor Leipzig and Councilman Ralph Bauer traveled this week to Anjo, Japan, Huntington Beach's sister city, to strengthen ties between the two. The city officials were invited by Anjo's mayor to spend a week there. The trip is being paid for by the Japanese city, Bauer said before he and Leipzig left for Japan on Wednesday.

The city has hired a former resident as its new director of economic development, a position that includes overseeing redevelopment projects as well as attracting and retaining businesses. The City Council this week appointed David Biggs, 35, to the post. Biggs, who is now city manager of Morgan Hill near San Jose, will start his new job Oct. 2 and will receive an annual salary of about $98,000. City Administrator Michael T.

The flap over city pay practices continued Thursday as critics assailed newly disclosed employee pay figures, a city councilman called for more details and the finance board chief urged a comprehensive study of city salaries. Some questioned why, in such an austere era for local governments, 25 Huntington Beach employees earned more than $126,000 in total compensation last year, with several earning $30,000 or more in overtime alone.